Val’s Crafty Corner: Leaf Rubbings On the Go

This recipe for creative play and outdoor fun is brought to you by Melissa & Doug, written by our Blog Ambassador Valerie Deneen.

Enjoy creating nature art on the go with your kids!-Valerie

Whenever I take the kids out on a nature hike, they love to bring along their little sketchbooks for some impromptu nature drawings. This time, we packed our Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons for some leaf rubbings! We found these crayons are ideal for leaf rubbings because they don’t have any wrappers and they have flat sides. We also love the case because it is easy to pack the crayons and it fits quite nicely into their little backpacks. Perfect for on-the-go art!

To make some leaf rubbings of your own, start by collecting some fallen leaves. Arrange a leaf with the vein side facing up, and then place a sheet of paper on top. Using the flat edge of the side of a crayon, hold the paper firmly in place, then rub the crayon back and forth along the paper. Your leaf rubbing will appear. My 4-year-old thought this was so magical! I love how this simple technique helps the kids achieve success with nature art.

Try to find different varieties of leaves to make a small booklet of rubbings. Issue a challenge to see who can find the most varieties. You may even want to make a quick trip to the library to try to identify which trees and plants you saw while on your nature hike!